SK-II Empowers Women to Change Their Destiny

If you are not based in China, then it is likely that you missed the release of SK-II most recent campaign. A campaign that encouraged China’s “leftover” women to be proud of their independence and take actions to change their destiny in the face of growing social pressure.

Part of SK-II’s Change Destiny campaign, it quickly went viral and was the talk of many, and rightfully so.

Core to the success of this piece was in showcasing the pressure that women feel as they enter their mid-20s to get married, and the emotional tole that pressure has on the women as questions around one’s plans to get married begin. Questions that can quickly lead to comments about being “left behind”.

Keeping in mind that this is not something that is strictly China based, what made this piece so poignant was in the timing of it.

It comes at a time when women are themselves more secure than ever in China. Rates of female education are highest, career options are the best, and the wealth that they are creating for themselves has never been better (for those in the city). All part of their plan, but for their parents (and society) it is a different story. For them, be it for cultural reasons of what a woman’s “role” should be or for practical ones where parents are concerned about who will take care of them when they are aging, this change is a departure that has yet to be fully accepted.

Which is why you will find thousands of parents in parks across China every weekend, and where this clip shows a deep understanding of the transition that is taking place. A transition that women should be proud of, as it is the byproduct of their success, but one that can be a source of great pressure as they look to fulfill their dreams while living up to the expectations of others.